The Florida Project

In the shadow of Disney World Florida, Halley and her six-year-old daughter Moonee live together in a motel room. Cheerful, eloquent Moonee sees these impoverished surroundings as anything but miserable: the cheap motels and dozens of fast-food chains lining the road are colourful and adventurous in her eyes.

The food is sweet, the rules are few, and there is no need for supervision. At best, Moonee has to look out for the irritable manager Bobby (Willem Dafoe, one of the few professional actors in this film), though his frustration is actually a source of entertainment for her.

Filmmaker Sean Baker recorded his previous feature film, Tangerine, on an iPhone 5s. For The Florida Project, he exchanged that phone for a 35mm film camera. In a lyrical style, the camera hurtles along in the wake of Moonee and her friends, racing through the motel. The editing is energetic; the tone is loud and funny. Even so, a sad drama shines through around the edges of this wonderful film. Moonee’s youthful perspective on the world prevents her from seeing that she and her mother are in serious financial trouble. (Bron: IFFR)